Arlet & Cecil

It's been a pretty long time since I've really drawn humans (though the goddesses I'm painting are mostly humanoid) let alone design human characters. These two, the lead characters in the story of the white phoenix, have been floating about in my head for at least a month or two and were just begging me at this point to come out.

Arlet (on the left) is the daughter of a lady of the Red Sun Clan (a matriarchal group of land-based followers of Ourana, the sun goddess) and a travelling fish merchant from a sea-dwelling tribe of moon worshipers. She was raised by her mother and the ladies of the clan, but there is conflict inherent in her, and she wasn't well looked upon. Eventually she ran away to wander the world and find her purpose. However, Arlet met with trouble wherever she went, and eventually embraced her own infamy. Wanted in countless towns and villages, Arlet uses her charm, cunning, and resourcefulness to evade capture time and again, or escape from custody whenever caught. Soon, though, she will find herself looking toward a new purpose.

Cecil was born to loving parents in a quiet village in the foothills. He has the rare gift of magic ability, which physically manifests as long, pointed ears. Unfortunately, as an infant, a rogue band of Vexian (destruction) magi ravaged the village, spurring a community-wide animosity toward magi in general. A few radicals attacked his family and home and tried to have him killed, but his parents took him and fled. They ran until they reached a colony of Ourian (sun) magi, and begged Elzard, the head of the colony, to take Cecil and care for him. Soon after they died from exhaustion and injury, and were buried in the colony's cemetery. Cecil was then raised by Elzard and taught in the ways of their magic. He has never left, and knows nothing of the world outside the colony except that he cannot trust anyone but fellow magi. However, that is all about to change.